Polycentric staffing is an international staffing method where the locals have the opportunity to fill in key positions in their own country because of the belief that local managers have a good understanding of the local culture and language.

According to the Bartlett and Ghoshal framework, there are five stages of globalization that enterprises may go through. In the first "domestic" stage, corporations focus on domestic sales and international sales make up a small portion of total revenue.

During the second "international" phase, although the focus still remains on domestic sales, one or a few international divisions may be added to oversee global operations and growth. International growth related to foreign operations is often more opportunistic.

In the third "multinational" stage, a firm usually has several offices throughout the world. However, each of the offices are treated almost as separate units where key decisions are made by headquarters, the locals manage most of the day-to-day operations and organizational strategy is often poorly coordinated between national sites.

During the fourth "global" phase, all offices are managed as if one unit developing one shared strategic business plan. Talent often moves readily from one location to another as specific needs arise, and the world is viewed as one market instead of multiple regional markets. However, similar to being in the "multinational" stage, key strategic decisions are made by headquarters.

Finally, in the last "transnational" phase, organizations achieve the epitomy of globalization where decisions and planning is made across borders, but local offices are able to retain their flexibility. They have intensive organization-wide coordination and shared decision-making. If a company has decided to pursue a polycentric staffing approach, it is likely in the multinational stage, where locals manage most of the day-to-day operations. If a corporation were in the global or transnational phases, they would likely utilize a geocentric staffing method. On the other hand, a firm in the domestic or international stages would probably engage in ethnocentric staffing approaches.